President Vladimir Putin called on pro-Russian separatists to release Ukrainian soldiers who have been surrounded by the rebels in eastern Ukraine, Aug. 29, 2014. In this photo, President Putin arrives at a meeting with participants in the youth educational forum at the Seliger youth camp near Lake Seliger, some 450 kilometres northwest of Moscow, in Tver region, Russia, Aug. 29, 2014.

Russian stock indexes and the ruble plunged on Thursday, August 28, 2014 as Ukraine accused Russia of sending its army to support separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, increasing the likelihod of new western sanctions against Russia.